I. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to golf clubs. More specifically, the invention concerns a golf putter having a guide ball for improving a golfer's putting stroke.
II. Description of the Prior Art
Golf is a popular sport and form of recreation enjoyed by many individuals. Throughout the years many technical advancements in the golf ball, golf club, and golf course have been made to improve golf scores. The golf putter has seen significant advancement since it plays a vital role in a golfer's performance.
Putters play a key role in improving one's score. Most conventional putters have a shaft attaching to a putter head with a flat hitting surface for striking a ball. Most putters have the flat face positioned so that the golfer swings from side to side with his body relatively parallel to the “line of sight”, which is the line from the ball to a hole. The common design of putters have a bottom surface facing the ground when in use. During a putting stroke, it is desirable for the bottom surface of the putter to have little to no contact with the ground so as to eliminate potential for interference. Thus in a desired putting stroke, the user typically raises the putter slightly so that the hitting surface does not touch the putting surface usually referred to as the green. Many different types of golf putters have been developed for improving one's putting stroke.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,409,220 issued to Lombardo teaches a putter with an advantageously angled and constructed shaft. Another golf putter is U.S. Pat. No. 4,688,799 issued to Johnson which teaches a putter having a rotatable circular roller mounted on either the toe or the heel of the golf club. The roller prevents friction with the ground by raising the head so that the hitting surface does not touch the putting green in a stroke. A disadvantage, however, is that the single roller does not improve the straight motion of one's putting stroke.
Another putter is U.S. Pat. No. 3,319,964 issued to Steinburg. Steinburg teaches a practice putter having an axle extending across the head parallel to the hitting surface and having a rotatable wheel on each end of the axle. The wheel raises the hitting surface above the green and allows straight putting strokes as long as the stroke follows the direction of the spinning wheels. A disadvantage is that there is no indicator means to determine whether the wheels are spinning in all speeds of the putting stroke. The user must depend on looking at the wheel to see if it is spinning which can detract from his focus on the golf ball and line of sight to the hole.
None of the prior art teaches an improved putter as taught by the present invention.
Thus, it is a primary objective of the present invention to provide a golf putter which can improve a golfer's ability to develop a straight and smooth putting stroke. It is a further objective to provide a golf putter which can improve a golfer's ability to maintain a consistent desired speed of the putting stroke.